Fluid and vehicle propelling device



Dec. 28, 1965 F. E. PARSONS FLUID AND VEHICLE PRDPELLING DEVICE Filed OCC. l, 1964 United States Patent O 3,225,537 FLUD AND VEHCLE PRGPELLING DEVICE Fred E. Parsons, 1656 Keller Lane, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Filed Oct. 1, 1964, Ser. No. 400,871 6 Claims. (Cl. 613-3554) This invention relates to fluid and vehicle propelling devices and particularly to a device for propelling a vehicle through water, and is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 130,277 filed August 9, 1961 for Fluid and Vehicle Propelling Device now abandoned.

The device of the present invention embodies a housing having a central supporting section and forward and rearward converging housing sections having on the reduced outer ends the intake and outlet openings respectively. The central supporting section has a boss for supporting the driving means which may be a motor, engine or bearings for the internal end of a hollow driving shaft for the rotor which is mounted within the forward housing section. The shaft is further supported by an outboard bearing lon an intake head having a wide mouth in extension of the intake opening of the forward housing section. A stator or rotor is mounted on a shaft within the hollow shaft rearwardly of the central supporting section which when held stationary directs the fluid passing thereover in straight paths toward the outlet opening. The truncated housing and the truncated rotor are so related that the annulus formed thereabout passes an equal volume of fluid from the intake end to the central supporting section. Radially disposed vanes which may have curved intake ends are provided on the rotor for centrifugally forcing the intake water outwardly against a forward converging wall which produces a rearward movement thereto, which may increase in velocity toward the inner end thereof.

An annular passageway is provided through the central supporting section having straightening vanes therein. When the annulus between the rotor and housing is of uniform cacapity, the annular passageway of the central section is progressively reduced from the front to the rear to increase the velocity of the water passing therethrough. The water or other fluid is expelled over the stator when retained stationary, the radially disposed vanes of which directs the fluid in straight paths toward the outlet opening. The annular passageway about the stator is of uniform area from the central supporting section to the end thereof so as to maintain a constant volumn and velocity to the water or other fluid passing thereover. The increased velocity of the fluid adds additional thrust as it is expelled through the outlet opening to advance the device and therefore the vehicle to which it is attached at a substantial speed through the water. The propelled fluid diverges in its passage over the rotor and smoothly passes parallel to the axis of the device and to the stator where it converges to the outlet.

The stator is maintained stationary when the rotor is driven to produce a forward drive to the vehicle. When the vehicle is to be reversed, the rotor is held stationary while the stator is driven to produce a reverse flow of water through the housing. With this arrangement substantial efficiency is obtained for reversing the vehicle movement although the efficiency of the device is not as great as when the rotor is driven in view of the reverse restriction of the passageway for the fluid.

Accordingly, the main objects of the invention are: to provide a device for propelling a vehicle through water in which the passage for the water diverges smoothly to an annular section and smoothly therethrough and therefrom to a converging outlet section; to provide a device having a rotor and a stator connected to telescoped ICC ` shafts, one of which is retained stationarily when the other is driven, for propelling the vehicle in either a forward or rearward direction; and in general, to provide a device for propelling a vehicle in either direction which is simple in construction, positive in operation and economical of manufacture.

Other objects and features of novelty of the invention will be specifically pointed out or will become apparent when referring, for a better understanding of the invention, to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

The figure is a sectional view of a propelling device embodying features of the present invention.

The device of the present invention embodies a housing 1t) which converges from the center toward the ends. The device has a central supporting section 11 and a forwardly converging section 12 and a rearwardly converging section 13 attached to the central section by suit able means herein illustrated by studs and nuts 9. The forward housing section 12 has an inlet opening 14 at its forward end and the rear housing section 13 has an outlet opening 15 at its rear end. A boss y16 is provided in the center of the central supporting section 11 having a pair of bearings 17 therein which supports the rear end 18 of a hollow shaft 19. The rear end of the boss 16 is enclosed by a cap 21 to seal the internal area of the boss 16 along with the sealing element 22 at the forward end thereof.

An intake head 23 has a wide mouth opening 24 which is joined to the intake opening 14 at the forward end of the forward housing section 12. An outboard supporting boss 25 for the `shaft 19 is secured by arms 26 to the head 23, the arms being disposed in tangential relation to the boss 25. A bearing 27, of the needle or other type, supports the shaft 19 in the boss 25 in which the bearing is sealed by sealing elements 28 and 29. The arms 26 are elongated being of teardrop cross section to provide minimum resistance to the flow of water thereover.

The shaft 19 is hollow and has an outer splined end 31 by which a driving element is connected to the shaft '19 and a splined intermediate section 32 which is secured to a truncated conical rotor 33 having vanes 34 radially disposed thereon. The vanes are enclosed in a truncated conical shield 35 which prevents sand, stones or other objects which may be drawn in with the intake water from engaging the inner surface of the forward converging housing section 12 and cause damage to the ends of the vanes. The forward end 36 of the vanes may be arcuately shaped for aiding in propelling the water upon entering the intake aperture 14 to the rear. The forward ends 36 of the vanes 34 taper inwardly to a shoulder 37 against which a pair of locking nuts 38 engage when securing the rotor on the shaft. A streamlined boss 39 may be secured in extension of the nuts 3S to streamline the flow of water along the shaft. The boss 39 is secured to the shaft by a Set screw 41. A conical plate 42 may be brazed, welded or otherwise secured to the rear portion of the rotor to enclose the plurality of areas 43 therein which are provided for reducing the weight of the rotor.

The slope of the -truncated conical rotor 33 and that of the truncated conical shield 35 are such as to provide a decreasing thickness to the annulus formed thereby which increase in diameter from the intake to the rear end of the device. This results in the annulus forming a passageway through which a uniform volume of fluid llows throughout the length thereof.

The central supporting section 11 has an annular passageway containing a plurality of straightening vanes 44 which are of such curved section from -the front to the rear as to straighten the path of the centrifugally driven water as is passes therethrough. The area through the passageway in the central supporting element decreases from the front to the rear thereof to progressively reduce the volume thereof which increases the velocity of flow of the water as it is expelled therefrom. Also, the large end of rotor 33 is formed arcuately inwardly to provide a smooth transmition between the conical portion of rotor 33 and the annular passage through the supporting section 11. This will prevent turbulence at this transitional point and will permit a smooth stand of water to flow through the device. The result will be the elimination `of cavitation and a greatly increased output. This reduction in the intake uid passageway may start in the rotor area, depending upon the length of the reduc-ed area desired.

A truncated conical stator 45 is secured in fixed relation to a shaft 46 which extends through the hollow shaft 19 and through the cap 21 which is sealed by a sealing ring 47. The shaft 46 is journaled within the shaft 19 in any suitable manner such as by having a sleeve of Teflon cloth adhered thereto. The stator 45 and shaft 46 have engaged splines 48 which are mounted in secured relation by locking nuts 49. A shield 51, similar to the shield 35, may be placed over the ends of vanes 52 on the stator 45 for protecting the ends from damage, should sand, graver or other objects be carried by the intake water into the passageway about the stator 45 when rotated. With this arrangement, either the rotor 33 or the stator 45 may be driven while the other is maintained stationary.

The slope of the conical stator 45 and that of the inner surface of the rearward housing section 13 is such as to have the annular passageway therebetween of the same volume at all points therealong but of less volume than that of the annular passageway about the rotor, being equal in volume to that of the rear end of the passageway through the central supporting section. This prevents any change in the velocity of the water passing therethrough before it is expelled from the stator and then through the outlet opening 15. In view of the uniformity of the truncated conical passageways about the rotor 33 and stator 45, no turbulence or change in the velocity and pressure occurs to the water flowing therethrough and eiciency in operation thereby results. The progressive decrease in volume through the rotor and annular passageway of the central supporting section may reduce the volume from the front to the rear thereof as much as 20% to thereby substantially increase the velocity of the water passing over the stator 45 to produce a greater thrust to the device. Also, as shown, the stator is formed arcuately inwardly at its large end to provide a smooth transitional flow of fluid from the annular passage through the supporting section 11 to the truncated passageway about stator 45.

A truncated conical shell 53 is secured over the rear housing section 13, being secured thereto by screws 54. A similar truncated conical shell 55 is secured over the front housing section 12, being maintained in position thereover by the screws 54. Passageways 56 are provided in the forward face of the central supporting section 11 for drawing water from the space between the truncated conical shield 35 and the inner face of the forward housing section 12 should it accumulate therein. The flow is produced by a venturi effect resulting from the passage of water thereover as it flows through the annular passageway within the central supporting section.

When the rotor is driven, while the stator is held stationary, water will be drawn into the intake opening 14 from the wide mouth opening 24 of the head 23 and will be thrown centrifugally outward against the diverging wall of the shield 35 and will pass to the rear through the annular passageway within the central supporting section 11. The straightening vanes 44 in the passageway through the central supporting section will overcome the angular velocity imparted to the water and will straighten its path as it is directed to the rear through the passageway. The vanes 52 on the truncated conical stator 45 will maintain the path of the water parallel to the axis of the device and no turbulence will occur thereto as the movement of the water will be directly to the rear in the annular passageway having a uniform volume. The water passing over the stator will have an increased velocity due to the reduced volume of the passageway through the central supporting section to thereby substantially increase the thrust of the device as the water passes outwardly through the outlet opening 15 thereof.

When the rotor 33 is held stationary and the stator 45 is rotated by the shaft 46, the water will be drawn in through the outlet opening 15, passed through the device and ejected at the inlet opening 14 thereof. The reverse flow of the water through the device will cause the reverse movement of the vehicle driven thereby.

The free end of the shaft 46 has a gear 57 splined thereon and a similar gear 58 is secured to the shaft 19 in splined relationship therewith. A drive shaft 59 supported in suitable standards 71 and driven from a suitable power source has a clutch 61, a brake 62 and a gear 63 thereon the latter of which has its teeth in mesh with the teeth of the gear 58. The shaft 59 also has a brake 64, a clutch 65 and a gear 66 thereon, the latter of which has its teeth in mesh with the teeth of the gear 57. A shifting collar 67 is disposed between the clutch 61 and brake 58 for releasing the one and engaging the other each time the shifting collar is moved toward or away from the clutch and brake from a neutral or off position. A similar shifting collar 68 is disposed between the clutch and brake 64 and 65 for engaging one and releasing the other when moved toward the brake or clutch, from a neutral or off position. The collars 67 and 68 are joined by a link 69 so that the brakes and clutches are disconnected or operated in unison in a predetermined sequence. When the link 69 is shifted to the right, as viewed in the gure, the clutch 61 is engaged and the brake 62 is released, thereby driving the gear 63 and 58. When so shifted, the clutch 65 is released and the brake 64 is engaged so that the gears 66 and 57 are locked in stationary relationship. When the link 69 is shifted to the left, as Viewed in the figure, the reverse occurs, the gears 66 and 57 being driven while the gears 58 and 63 are retained in locked position. With this or a similar device, the driving of one of the shafts 19 or 46 occurs while the other shaft is positively retained stationary. By changing the diameters of the gears 63 and 66, the shafts 46 and 19 may 4be driven at any speed relative to the driving speed of the shaft 59.

What is claimed is:

1. In a propelling device, a housing having a central supporting section and forward and rearward truncated converging housing sections containing an intake opening at the front end and an outlet opening at the rear end, a truncated conical rotor within the forward housing section, drive means supported by said central supporting section for rotating said rotor, vanes extending from :said rotor for propelling duid entering the inlet opening to the rear thereof, said central supporting section having an annular passageway communicating with the annular passageway between said rotor and forwardly extending housing section, a truncated conical stator in the rearward housing section, vanes on said truncated conical section extending outwardly therefrom into a passageway thereabout, said drive means embodying telescope shafts, the outer shaft supporting and driving said rotor, the inner shaft supporting and driving said stator, and means for retaining one of said shafts stationary when the other is rotated for reversing the direc' tion of movement of the fluid through the device.

2. In a propelling device, a housing having a central hub section and forward and rearward truncated converging housing sections containing an inlet opening at the front and an outlet opening at the rear, a truncated conical rotor within the front housing section, bearing means in the hub of the central section, a hollow shaft supported by said bearing means to which the truncated conical rotor is secured, vanes extending from said rotor for propelling uid entering the inlet opening to the rear thereof past said hub section, a second shaft disposed within the hol-low shaft and extending therefrom, a stator on said second shaft within the rearward section of the housing, vanes on said stator, and means for retaining one of said shafts stationary when the other is rotated for reversing the ow of fluid through the device when the stator is driven.

3. In a propelling device, a housing having a central hub section and forward and rearward truncated converging sections containing an inlet opening at the front and an outlet opening at the rear, bearing means on the central hub section, a pair of telescoped -shafts supported by said bearing means, a truncated conical rotor supported by one of said shafts, a truncated conical stator supported by the other of said shafts, vanes on said rotor for propelling uid through the intake opening over said rotor and stator to said outlet opening, vanes on said stator for straightening the ow of fluid thereover as it passes from said rotor and for propelling fluid from the outlet opening over the rotor to the inlet opening when the stator is driven, and means for retaining one of said shafts stationary when the other is driven.

4. In a propelling device, a housing having a central ysection forwardly and rearwardly extending truncated converging sections containing an intake opening at the front and an outlet opening at the rear, a pair of telescoped shafts supported by said central section, a truncated conical rotor in the forward section supported on one of said shafts, a truncated conical stator in the rearward section supported by the other shaft, vanes extending from said rotor for propelling uid `from the inlet opening to said stator, vanes on said stator for straightening the fluid from the rotor before being delivered from the outlet opening and for propelling uid from the outlet opening over the rotor to the inlet opening when the stator is driven and the rotor is stationary, and means for retaining one of said shafts stationary when the other is rotated.

5. In a propelling device, a housing lhaving a central section forwardly and rearwardly extending truncated converging sections containing an intake opening at the front and an outlet opening at the rear, a pair of telescoped shafts supported by said central section, a truncated conical rotor in the forward section supported on one of said shafts, a truncated conical stator in the rearward section supported by the other shaft, vanes extending from said rotor for propelling uid from the inlet opening to said stator, vanes on said stator for straightening the uid from the rotor before being delivered from the outlet opening and for propelling fluid from the outlet opening over the rotor to the inlet opening when the stator is driven and the rotor is stationary, means for independently driving said shafts, and means for retaining one of said shafts stationary when the other is being driven.

`6. In a propelling device, a Ihousing having a central section forwardly and rearwardly extending truncated converging sections containing an intake opening at the front and an outlet opening at the rear, a pair of telescoped shafts supported by said central section, a truncated conical rotor in the forward section supported on one of said shafts, a truncated conical stator in the rearward section supported by the other shaft, vanes extending from said rotor for propelling uid from the inlet opening to said stator, vanes on said stator for straightening the fluid from the rotor before being delivered from the outlet opening and for propelling fluid from the outlet opening over the rotor to the inlet opening when the stator is driven and the rotor is stationary, means for independently driving said shafts, means for retaining one of said shafts stationary when the other is being driven, said driven means embodying a brake and clutch in the drive for said rotor shaft and a brake and clutch in the drive of said stator shaft, and means for releasing the clutch and engaging the brake in the drive of one shaft at the time the clutch is engaged and the brake released in the drive of the other shaft.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 849,176 4/ 1907 Thormeyen 1l5-42 968,823 8/ 1910 Westinghouse 60-35.5 1,042,506 10/1912 Vallat 115-42 1,430,141 9/1922 Angus 103-89 1,502,865 7/1926 Moody 103--89 1,771,939 7/1930 Rees 230-120 2,483,335 9/1949 Davis 103-88- 2,645,086 7/ 1953 Carter 103-3 2,647,467 8/ 1953 Davis 103-89 2,744,722 5/1956 Orr 230--132 2,954,750 10/1960 Crump et al 60-35.5 2,993,463 7/1961 McKinney 60-35.5 3,112,610 12/1963 Jerger 103-94 FOREIGN PATENTS 128,604- 8/ 1948 Australia.

214 12/ 1909 Great Britain.

DONLEY I. STOCKING, Primary Examiner.

HENRY F. RADUAZO, Examiner. 

1. IN A PROPELLING DEVICE, A HOUSING HAVING A CENTRAL SUPPORTING SECTION AND FORWARD AND REARWARD TRUNCATED CONVERGING HOUSING SECTIONS CONTAINING AN INTAKE OPENING AT THE FRONT END AND AN OUTLET OPENING AT THE REAR END, A TRUNCATED CONICAL ROTOR WITIN THE FORWARD HOUSING SECTION, DRIVE MEANS SUPPORTED BY SAID CENTRAL SUPPORTING SECTION FOR ROTATING SAID ROTOR, VANES EXTENDING FROM SAID ROTOR FOR PROPELLING FLUID ENTERING THE INLET OPENING TO THE REAR THEREOF, SAID CENTRAL SUPPORTING SECTION HAVING AN ANNULAR PASSAGEWAY COMMUNICATING WTH THE ANNULAR PASSAGEWAY BETWEEN SAID ROTOR AND FORWARDLY EXTENDING HOUSING SECTION, A TRUNCATED CONICAL STATOR IN THE REARWARD HOUSING SECTION, VANES ON SAID TRUNCATED CONICAL SECTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM INTO A PASSAGEWAY THEREABOUT, SAID DRIVE MEANS EMBODYING TELESCOPE SHAFTS, THE OUTER SHAFT SUPPORTING AND DRIVING SAID ROTOR, THE INNER SHAFT SUPPORTING AND DRIVING SAID STATOR, AND MANS FOR RETAINING ONE OF SAID SHAFTS STATIONARY WHEN THE OTHER IS ROTATED FOR REVERSING THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF THE FLUID THROUGH THE DEVICE. 